Utility case



Aug. 14, 1934. M. GOLDMAN 1,969,976

UTILITY CASE Filed sept. 29, 1952 Patented Aug. 14, 1934 UNrrs STATES PATENT orifice Application September 29, 1932, Serial No. 635,387 In Australia November 4, 1931` s claims. (o1. 12o-2s) This invention relates to utility cases and a rincipal object of the invention is to provide a case or receptacle for receiving an object without the necessity or" opening a closure for the .5 receptacle, maintaining the object in concealed or protected position, while at the same time the object is readily accessible for instant use without the necessity of again opening any closure element on the receptacle.

In some aspects, my improved case has the characteristics of a novel and attractive toy, various embodiments of the same being possible in entertaining and amusing, and at the same time utilitarian, articles for personal use by men, women, and children.

VIn the present instance, 1 have illustrated the invention as embodied in a case for pencils or the like, one form of which may be advantageously employed as a pencil box by school chil- 20 dren, for example, or which, in another form,

may be adapted ,as an adjunct to a card index cabinet, bridge table, or similar article.

The invention will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawing, -in which- Figure l is a plan view, partly in section, of one form of case embodying my invention;

V Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, but showing a diierent operative position of the parts;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure l, and being partly an end elevatio of the case; and Y f Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure `1 of a modified form or" the invention.

Referring in detail to Figures 1', 2 and 3 of the drawing, the case of the invention may include a box-like rectangular receptacle 1 which may be conveniently made of cardboard or other inexpensive material with its outer surface appropriately decorated to enhance the appearance of the case. The receptacle 1 may be of suicient width to receive abreast in parallel relation in a single plane a number of objects such as the pencils 2, 3 and 4 of the various lengths, pen 5 and ruler 6. 1n accordance with my invention, the receptacle 1 is desirably imperiorate except for the apertures '7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 in one end of the receptacle which receive respectively the objects above referred to, means being carried by the receptacle for yieldingly retainingl the objects therein and projecting them partially through the said apertures, while still yieldingly supporting the objects.

As' shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, such retaining or gripping means is represented by the hollow T-shape holder 12 having the head 13 disposed transversely of the receptacle 1 and the leg 14 extending longitudinally of the receptacle, the holder 12 being shorter in overall 5C?A length than the receptacle 1 and therefore movable longitudinally thereof, for the purpose presently pointed out. Said -holder also may be conveniently formed oi cardboard, for example.

To receive the objects shown, the holder 12 65 is provided with passages 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 therein registering substantially with the apertures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 1l, respectively, so that when the objects 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively, are passed through said apertures, they will be 7,0 received in the Vsaid passages in the holder. Since the passages extend entirely through the head 13 or" the T-shape holder 12, the holder accommodates itself to objects of different lengths as shown. The passages 15, 16, 17 and 18 are relativelynarrow to snugly receive the cylindrical objects such as the pens and pencils therein and within each of these passages, I place resilient gripping members, such as the sponge rubber pads 20, for example, two Yin each passage on opposite sides thereof and which may be retained in the passages by paper naps 21 integral with the holder 12 and injected into the passages, the pads 20 being suitably adhered to the flaps 21 and held in the passages between said naps and the walls of the passages in operative position to oppositely engage the object received in the passage and be compressed thereby sufficiently to frictionally grip the object, while at the same time permitting it to be withdrawn from the receptacle 1 against the force of the resilient pads 20 or to be pushed along said pads and through the passages.

The central passage 19 is desirably elongated transversely of the receptacle to receive the wider object, such as the ruler 6, therein and the passage 19 may be conveniently continued through the leg 14 of the holder which thus receives the ruler therein. The passage 19 is provided with transversely elongated grippinT members 22, otherwise similar to the members 20 and which are retained by the naps 23, otherwise similar to the aps 21.

'To urge the holder 12 toward the apertured end of the receptacle l, I provide resilient means carried by the receptacle which is here represented by the elastic strip 24 anchored to `one end of the receptacle as at 25, and secured at its other end to the holder 12 as at 26, in this instance the end of the leg 14 farthest removed from the apertured end of the receptacle. When the holder 12 is thus moved longitudinally of the receptacle away from the apertured end thereof, the strip 24 is under tension and urges the holder toward the apertured end of the receptacle. To guide the holder 12 in its movement in the receptacle, so that the passages in the holder are in register with the apertures in the receptacle, the receptacle may be provided with a tunnel portion 27 which snugly and telescopically receives the leg 14, the end of the strip 24 as at 25 being secured to the receptacle by cooperation with the tunnel portion 27, this tunnel portion being here shown as a relatively small rectangular member suitably adhered to the inner walls of the receptacle 1 centrally thereof and having the termination of the strip 24 engaged between the portion 27 and the wall of the receptacle.

I desirably provide trigger-released detent means associated with the receptacle 1 and holder 12 for maintaining the holder in retracted position against the force of the elastic strip 24. As shown in Figures l to 3, inclusive, the receptacle 1 may be provided with an internal shoulder 28 spaced from the apertured end of the receptacle and adjacent the end of the holder 12 nearest the apertures. To engage with said shoulder the head 13 of the holder 12 may have suitably attached thereto, as at 29, the spring tongue 30, the free end 31 of which normally abuts the shoulder 28 to prevent movement of the holder 12 toward the apertured end of the receptacle and to space it from the apertures. A ilexible trigger 32 suitably secured to the wall of the receptacle, as at 33, has its free end 34 engageable with the spring tongue to ex the said tongue out of contact with the shoulder 28.

Y A button 35 secured to the trigger 32 and projected through a hole 36 in the receptacle 1 is manually depressible to actuate the trigger 32 as described to cause the holder 12 to be urged by the elastic strip 24 toward the apertured end of the receptacle 1 and to partially project the objects, such as the pencils, pen and ruler therefrom, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and in full lines in Figure 2. Thus these objects are readily accessible to be gripped by the ngers of the user and withdrawn from the receptacle against the force of the resilient pads 20 and 22. Until so withdrawn, however, the objects are supported by the holder 12 as described and any one of the objects may be selected to be removed from the receptacle Without disturbing the remainder of the objects. For example, the pencil 2 might be selected to be Withdrawn completely from the receptacle for use and any one of the remaining objects may be pressed upon to retract the holder 12 within the receptacle and to restore the parts to the position shown in full lines in Figure 1, wherein the objects are substantially concealed and protected. When it is desired to re-enter the pencil 2, for example, Within the receptacle 1, the pencil may be inserted through the aperture 7 and into the passage 15 of the holder 12 regardless of Whether the holder is in the position shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2. If the holder be in the position shown in Figure 1, the pencil 2 will be pressed by the pads 20, in resilient engagement therewith, without movement of the holder 12, since said holder is in its farthest retracted position as determined by the dimensions of the parts. On the other hand, if the holder 12 should be in the position shown in Figure 2 when the pencil 2 is inserted, the grip of the resilient pads 20 on the pencil is suiciently strong to cause the holder 12 to be retracted as the pencil is pushed into the receptacle. When the holder reaches the limit of its retracted position, as shown in Figure 1, the pencil then moves through the passage in the holder until the outer end of the pencil is substantially flush with the apertured end of the receptacle. The elastic strip 24 is desirably of such length that the holder 12 reaches the limit of its retracted position without overdistending the elastic strip, thus safeguarding the life of the strip.

VAs shown in Figure 4, the receptacle 37 may be desirably narrow to accommodate a single pencil 38 and the holder 39 may be in the form of a soft cardboard tube movable longitudinally and shiftable laterally in the receptacle 37. The elastic strip 40 may be anchored at one end as at 41 to the interior of the receptacle 37 and at its other end, as at 42, secured to the tube 39 at its end most remote from the aperture 43 in the receptacle 37 through which the pencil 38 is inserted. The bore 44 of the tube 39 may be in substantial alignment with the aperture 43, while permitting the tube to be shifted slightly in the receptacle to engage an internal shoulder 45 therein against the force of the elastic strip 40, said strip being distended When the tube 39 is out of engagement with the shoulders 45. In this modification, to maintain the tube 39 normally in engagement with the shoulder 45, I may provide the sponge rubber pad 46 suitably adhered to the inner wall of the receptable 37 transversely opposite the shoulder 45 and yieldingly maintaining engagement of the tube and shoulder. 'Io release the tube 39 to the action of the resilient strip 40, I may provide a button 47 depressible from the outside of the receptacle to move the tube laterally away from the shoulder 45 against the action o1 the resilient pad 45. The entire tube 39 with its bore 44 normally of slightly less diameter than the pencil 38, may be formed of resilient material to yieldingly grip the pencil for the purpose pointed out.

As here shown the form in which my invention is embodied in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is adapted for use as a childrens school box, for example, While the form shown in Figure 4 may be secured to a bridge table, for instance, Where the pencil 38 would be concealed and protected while maintained in position for instant use upon pressing of the button 47.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, in combination, a receptacle for receiving an object therein; gripping means carried by the receptacle for releasably gripping the object, said gripping means being movable with respect to the receptacle to retract the object therein; resilient means associated with the receptacle and the gripping means and urging the gripping means outwardly of the receptacle to project the object therefrom; detent means associated with the gripping means and the receptacle for holding the gripping means in retracted position against the force of said resilient means; and means for disengaging the detent means. 2. As an article of manufacture, in combination, a receptacle for receiving an object therein; resilient gripping means carried by the receptacle for yieldingly gripping the object, said gripping means being movable with respect to the receptacle to retract the object therein; resilient means associated with the receptacle and the gripping means and urging the gripping means outwardly of the receptacle to project the object therefrom; detent means associated with the gripping means and the receptacle for holding the gripping means in retracted position against the force of said resilient means; and means for disengaging the detent means.

3. An article of manufacture including a receptacle; an aperture in the receptacle; a holder movable in the receptacle toward and from the aperture, said holder having a passage therethrough registering with the aperture; resilient means urging the holder toward the aperture; and trigger released detent means engaging the holder and retaining it in retracted position from said aperture.

4. As an article of manufacture, in combination, a receptacle; an aperture therein; an object received in the aperture; a holder movable in the receptacle toward and away from said aperture, said holder having a passage therethrough registering with the said aperture and said object being received in said passage; resilient means urging the holder toward the aperture; resilient gripping means in the passage of the holder and yieldingly gripping the object, whereby the holder may be retracted from said aperture by the object against the force of the first resilient means and thereafter the object may be moved inwardly of the receptacle and the holder against the force of second said resilient means; detent means for retaining the holder in retracted position against the force of rst said resilient means; and a trigger for disengaging the detent means, whereby the holder projects the object outwardly of the aperture in the receptacle but continues to yieldingly grip the object.

5. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a receptacle; a holder in said receptacle movable with respect thereto; an object received in said receptacle and said holder; and means carriedI by the receptacle for moving the holder with respect to the receptacle to project the object therefrom, said object being yieldingly gripped and supported by said holder.

6. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a receptacle; an object received therein; a holder in said receptacle having limited movement with respect thereto; yieldable gripping means carried by the holder and frictionally engaging the object, whereby the holder is normally retractable in the receptacle by pressing the object into the receptacle but said object is also movable with respect to the holder when the holder reaches the limit of its movement in the receptacle; and means carried by the receptacle for moving the holder in the opposite direction to project the object from the receptacle.

7. As an article of manufacture, a narrow receptacle having an aperture in one end thereof; an elongated tube in said receptacle and movable longitudinally and laterally thereof, said tube being substantially aligned with said aperture; a shoulder in said receptacle spaced from said aperture and engageable with one end of the tube; an elastic member anchored at one end to the receptacle adjacent the end of the tube with which the shoulder is engageable and having its other end secured to the other end of the tube most remote from said aperture, said elastic member beind distended when said tube is in engagement with the shoulder; a resilient pad upon the inner Wall of the receptacle transversely opposite the said shoulder and yieldably maintaining the tube in engagement with the shoulder; a button carried by the wall of the receptacle and passing therethrough to engage the tube, said button being depressible to move the tube laterally in the receptacle to disengage it from the shoulder against the force of the resilient pad, whereby the elastic member will project the tube toward the aperture in the receptacle; and resilient walls within the tube whereby the tube may yieldingly grip a pencil or the like received therein.

8. As an article of manufacture, a rectangular box-like receptacle having apertures in one end thereof; a T-shape holder in said receptacle and movable longitudinally thereof, said holder having passages therein substantially aligned with said apertures, one of said passages'being in the leg of the T-shape holder; a tunnel portion in the receptacle telescopically receiving the said leg; an elastic strip anchored to the end of the tunnel member first receiving the said leg and secured to the leg, whereby the strip is under tension when the said leg is received in said tunnel member to the extent of its movement therein; a shoulder in said receptacle spaced from the apertures and adjacent the end of the head of the T-shape holder; a spring tongue carried by the said head and normally engaging the shoulder to space the holder from the said end of the receptacle having the apertures therein; a trigger carried by the wall of the receptacle and engageable to flex the said tongue out of engagement lwith the shoulder; a button carried by the trigger and projected through the wall of the receptacle to be manually depressible; and resilient pads in the said passages adjacent the end of the holder adjacent the said apertures.

MELVDI GOLDMAN. 

